Reinforced folder



March 17, 1953 P. zALKlND REINFORCED FOLDER Filed Ocl'.. 17, 1944 y. INVENTOR.

PHILIP zALKuND Anm/ver Patented Mar. 17, A.1953 v- Y- S PAT ENT UNITED vsiwrle:

OFFICE REINFORCED FOLDER Philip Zalkind, New York, N. Y.

Application October 17, 19454, Serial No. 559,084

My present invention relates to file folders. cards and the like, and more particularly to index and reinforcing means associated therewith.

File folders commonly comprise a sheet of paper or other fibrous material folded transversely to form articulated leaves or panels. One; or more edges of the panels are frequently reinforced and stiffened, one purpose being to resist wear. Means for hanging or suspending such folders and cards have been known for many years.

My invention contemplates novel reinforcing and stilfening means; means at upper or other edges of the folder or card; and also novel securing means for receiving and holding index tabs, labels, markers, flags and the like,- hereinafter designated and referred to simply as tabs.

Such means of numerous kinds have been in common use for many years. Some are integral and some permanently attached, as by adhesive, rivets and other means.

My invention contemplates that tabs may be selectively applied at any position along the edge ofthe folder, card, or other sheet at one or more positions.

My invention further contemplates the use of improved and simplified forms of index tabs or markers.

My invention also contemplates that the index securing reinforcements may extend beyond the edges of the sheet, comprising hanger or suspending means.

Accordingly, a primary object of my invention is the provision of an edge comprising hanger or suspending means.

Another object of my invention is to provide suspending means for the sheet folder or case.

These and many other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a folder embodying my novel index securingreinforcement.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on line '2-2 of Figure l', looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a plan view of another modified form of my index securing reinforcement.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View corresponding to the cross-sectional view of Figure 4 showing the preliminary step in the formation of the index securing lreinforcement of Figure 3.

Figure I6 is a plan view showing another modified form of my index securing reinforcement.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l-'1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8` is a cross-'sectional view corresponding tothe cross-sectional view of Figure 'I showing the manner in which the construction of Fig- Vure 7 is formed.

3 Claims. (Cl. DB9-16.7)

`Referring nowto kFigures 1 and 2, I have here shown a file holder I0 comprising panels 20 and 2| having conventional construction with the exception, however, that it includes one form of my novel edge construction.

The panel 20 is bent along line II to form the re-entrant short panel I2, as seen in Figure 2. The re-entrant'short panel I2 is bent up once more along the line I6 to form an upwardly extending panel I3. This panel is again bent -along the line I4 to form the downwardly extending panel I5, preferably to a line below line I6.

The reinforcing member I1 may be secured by adhesive or in any other suitable manner against the inner portion of the upper bend line I I between the panel 20 and the re-entrant pane1 I2. A similar reinforcing member I8 is secured against the inside of the bend line I4 between the panels I3 and I5. The secu-rement here may also be in any suitable manner, as by adhesive. or held in place by adhesion of members 20 and I2; and member, I8 may be similarly held by adhesion of members I3 and I5.

The reinforcing members II and I8 may be a strip of any suitable material such as fibre, plastic, wood or metal. There is no adhesive or any other form of securement between the panels I3 and I2 which define a channe1 or long slot of predetermined depth in which the tab member 26 may be removably inserted and held, the walls of the channel or trench being in close contact with each other.

The reinforcing member I1 and I8 may project beyond the side edges of the panels 20 and 2| to form the extensions 5. The extensions 5 may be fastened together in any suitable manner for added effectiveness so that the panels I3 and I2 will hold together in a clamping relationship to integrate the entire reinforcement.

The short panels I3 and I2 provide a tight yclose channel for holding tabs, e. g., the index member 26, the flexing of the material permitting the index member 26 to be inserted in the groove between the panels I2 and I3 against the inside of the fold line I6 and holding the tab securely in position. It will thus be seen that an index tab, one or more of the same or varying design, may be' readily mounted within the channe1 I2a formed by the panels I 2 and I3, and may be readily removed, or moved to different positions.

The tab 26 may be provided with indicia 21 or with any suitablewindow in a form now well vknown to support indicia. The pane1 2I may also be folded over at its top edge 24 to form the reentrant panel 25, and an additional reinforcing strip 23 may be secured between panels 25 and 2I against the inner surface of the bend 24.

The reinforcing member 23 may be the same in form, size and construction as the reinforcing members I'I and I8- (Fig. 2) and may also have extensions 5. The extensions 5 of the various reinforcing members may also serve to suspend the folder in a file drawer or other container on sult- -able 'supporting means, such'susp'ension in aille lthose skilled in the art. vbe bound notby the specific disclosures herein but drawer on a suitable frame or rail or drawer edge being well known for many years.

If desired, the lower edges of the extensions may be provided with notches to position them accurately on the supporting edge or rail.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5, I have shown a slightly modified form of metallic reinforcement, which reinforcement may be more readily understood from the expanded view of Figure 5. Here it will be seen that panel 230 is encased by the flanges 23| and 232 of the reinforcing member 233. The reinforcing member 233 is an M -shaped member in which ythe anges 23| and 232 are connected along the bend 234 and in which flange 232 is connected to flange 239 along the bend 235, and in which flange 239 is connected to flange 238 along the bend 231.

' The flanges 23|, 232, 239 and 238 are formed upso that, as seen in Figure 4, the upper margin 239a of panel 230 is securely encased between flanges 23| and 232 while flanges 232 and 235 form a close-walled groove or trench, the base of which is the bend 235. The flange 238 is pressed tight against the flange 233 to form a nished upper edge 237 for the groove between vflanges 232 and 233. The groove between flanges 232 and 235 thus forms a receptacle for the tab 240, the said tab may be a metallic member 24| and a paper indicial carrying strip 242.

It will be obvious that the tab 240 may be moved to any desired position in the groove between flangesr232 and 236. As will also be obvious, the reinforcement 233 may comprise extensions 245 which may be notched at 24S for purposes hereinbefore described.

In Figures 6, 7, and 8, I have shown a simplified reinforcing member for a panel or sheet in which, as is seen in'Figure 8, the panel 409 is bent at 40| to form the short panel 402. Y

Another bend at 403 denes the short panel 404; and another bend at 405 defines the short panel 406. When bent up, the panels 400 to 406 assume the M-shaped formation of Figure 8.

A channel member 4|0, having panels 4H, 4|2, 4|3 and 4|4 separated by the bend lines lvH5, 4|B, 4H, also has an M-shaperd formation corresponding to the ivi-shaped formation of the 'paper panel edge.

The reinforcing member 4|@ is mounted over the lvl-shaped formation of the upper edge of vthe panel 450 and then clinch together to form the reinforcement shown in'Fig- Iures 7.

The surfaces of the reinforcing panels 4|2 and yM3 thereby denne a groove 439 to receive an member 4|!) may be extended, as at 440 of Figure -6, t0 provide a panel or .folder carrying extension; and this extension 440 may be notched as at 44| Vso that it may hang over `the edge of a drawer or of an insert, rib or wire in the drawer.

- In the foregoing, I have described my invention in connection only with preferred embodiments thereof. Many variations and 'modications of my invention and many adaptations thereof to other devices will now be obvious to Accordingly, I prefer to lreinforcement comprising a second short panel folded down `and into substantially parallel arvrangement with said first mentioned panel; and a vstitening member between said first panel and vsaid second short panel; said stiifening member extending substantially at least the length of said panels, a third short panel folded up in surface to surface arrangement with said second short panel; and a fourth short panel folded down into substantially parallel arrangement with said third short panel; and a second stiffening member between said third and fourth panels, said stiiening members being joined externally of said second and third panels and disposed in parallel relation so as to define a tab holding space between the second and third panels.

2. A panel having an edge reinforcement; said reinforcement comprising a second short panel folded down and into-substantially parallel arrangement with said rst mentioned panel; and a stifening member between said first panel and said second short panel; a lthird short panel folded up in surface to surface arrangement with said second short panel; and a fourth short panel folded down into substantially parallel arrangement with said thirdshort panel; and a second stiffening member between -said third and fourth panels; atleast one of said stiffening members extending beyond the ends of said rst panel .to form suspending members, said stiffening members being joined externally of said second and third panels and disposed in parallel relation so as to define a tab holding space between the second and third panels.

3. A panel having an edge reinforcement, said reinforcement comprising a second short panel folded down and into substantially parallelarrangement with said first mentioned panel; and a stlffening member between said first panel and said second vshort panel; a third short panel `folded up in surface'to surface arrangement with said second short panel; a fourth short panel folded down into substantially'parallel arrangement with said third short panel; a second stiffening member' betweenfsaid third and fourth panels; said stiifening members extending beyond the .ends of said panels and being joined at respective ends.

PHILIP ZALKIND.

REFERENCES CITED :UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 993,406 Probert et al May 30, 1911 1,080,201 Duncan Dec. 2, 1913 1,457,135 Auerbach May 29, 1923 2,022,195 Gollwitzer Nov. 26, 1935 2,151,717 l, Quigley Mar. 28, 1939 2,291,724 Jonas Aug. 4, 1942 A 42,325,317 Hanna July 27, 1943 2,329,201 Jonas Sept. 14, 1943 2,357,070 Bates Aug. 27, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 493,264 Germany 1930 154,201 Switzerland -1932 741,371 France 1932 88,302 `Sweden 1937 518,234 Great Britain ,-1-- 1940 524,275 Great Britain 1940 218,898AE Switzerland 1942 

